


Body and Soul

by Lieju



Category: Indiana Jones Series
Genre: F/M, Friends With Benefits, JUST, References to Sex, Sexual Humor, bodyswitching, no actual sex scenes though
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 18:08:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29440233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lieju/pseuds/Lieju
Summary: “This is your fault! Turn me back!” Willie demanded.“My fault?” Indy asked.Willie gave him a look. “Well do you think this is my doing, buster?”Indy had to admit, as unusual it was for him to wake up in a wrong body, the chances were this was caused by him somehow.Now, if he could just figure out how to switch himself and Willie back-
Relationships: Henry "Indiana" Jones & Willie Scott, Henry "Indiana" Jones/Willie Scott
Comments: 4
Kudos: 14





	1. Well within my acting range

Indiana turned the medallion in his hand. The two-faced god Janus stared back at him. Roman, but he had no idea how old it was...

The door to his small office burst open. “Hello!”

Indiana almost dropped the medallion. He stared at the blonde woman in confusion.

“Willie?”

“The one and only. Did you miss me?”

“No.” Indiana stood up, realizing how that had sounded. “I mean I haven't thought about you much.”

“You sure know what to say to a lady!” Willie gave him an approving look nevertheless. “By the way, I like the professor look. You look like a totally different person. Without the thick layer of grime you look almost respectable, Doctor Jones.”

Indiana walked past her to close the door to his office. Luckily it was after office hours, but he was fairly sure some students and faculty members still lingered in the building and he wasn't too happy with the idea of them hearing Willie.

“Thanks. I work here. Why are you here?”

That had sounded rude. Indiana rubbed his forehead. “Sorry, I mean I'm happy to see you, of course.”

He wasn't too happy about his adventuring life interfering with his work life like this though. They had parted on good terms, at least Indiana was pretty sure of that, but he hadn't expected Willie to turn up at the college.

He eyed her. She didn't seem to be angry with him.

Unsure what else to say Indy turned his attention back on the medallion.

“I was just working. See? The college got a hold of a collection of unlabeled objects from this private collection and I have been trying to identify their origin. I can obviously recognize the symbol for Roman God Janus, but whether it's even actually-”

Willie reached to brush her fingers against the medallion. “Looks drab. Is it valuable if it's real?”

“Not necessarily,” Indy admitted. “But I'd rather know what it is. Some of the detail looks off to me. Too smooth. I'd love to know if it's a forgery at least.”

Willie pulled her well-manicured fingers away. “Huh.” She looked around the cramped room. “This is what you do when you're not running around the globe hunting for shiny rocks and punching guys?”

Indiana pocketed the medallion. “I also give lectures and grade papers.”

“Why do you do it in the junk closet?”

“Maybe it is a bit cramped.”

“Also working so late?” Willie stepped closer and gave Indy a smile.

_We definitely parted on friendly terms._

Indy returned the smile. “I could be persuaded to quit for the day.”

Willie closed the distance, pulling him into a kiss. Indy returned it greedily, taking her into an embrace. He had been working hard lately, the mid-terms were coming up, and had had no time to indulge in these sort of things-

Indy broke the kiss to gasp for air. Willie set her finger on his lips.

“I am not going to fuck in a supply closet. Do you live here or does your grave robbing and mummy-finding pay enough for you to have a proper house?”

“Grave-ro-”

“Please tell me you don't live in the college basement.”

Deciding he'd probably want Willie as far away from his work place as possible anyway, Indy took a step back. “No, I have an actual house, we can go to my place.”

“Wonderful!” Willie opened the door. She pushed a full suitcase on Indy. “Just let me get my stuff.”

“Your what?”

“My luggage!”

Indy followed Willie out of his office. “What is in there, anyway? It weighs a ton.”

“I have an audition tomorrow in the city and happened to remember you. I thought to myself, 'Willie, you are such a lucky girl to know such a distinguished gentleman who will let you stay at his place! No need for a hotel room.'”

Indiana frowned. “So you're inviting yourself to stay at my place?”

“Just for a few days.”

Deciding it'd be fine, and would likely lead to sex anyway, Indiana nodded.

“Just call first the next time.”

* * *

Indiana turned on the bed. Something was wrong... He had had a weird nightmare, but it was slipping away...

He blinked slowly, his sleepy brain trying to catch up.

Usually when he woke up disoriented it was because he couldn't remember where he had fallen asleep. But this was somehow the opposite... He stared at the lamp on his night stand. The room was his bedroom... But something else was off... He rolled over.

Indy froze.

Waking up next to someone was not totally uncommon.

Even waking up next to an another guy.

But the man snoring away next to him was-

Indy let out a startled squeak and clamped his hand over his mouth in shock.

His all-too small hand-

He watched the eyes of the man next to him flutter open. The man who looked alarmingly familiar-

“Huh?”

The man who looked like him (but it couldn't be him, obviously, Indy told himself), opened his eyes. And let out a scream.

He sat up. “Aaah!”

He looked down. “AAAH!”

The situation was becoming at least somewhat clearer to Indiana. He was clearly not himself at the moment, as a quick glance down confirmed. He certainly had not gone to bed looking like a woman. But he remembered last night now, and it was only logical that-

“Willie?” he asked, startled by the high voice coming out of his mouth.

_So this is how Willie's voice sounds to herself._

He watched the other person on the bed nod.

“What is this?” Willie asked.

“Listen, I don't know how this happened but-”

“But nothing!” Willie pointed at him, pulling the bed covers up to cover herself. “This is your fault! Turn me back!”

“ _My_ fault?”

Willie gave him a look. “Well do you think this is my doing, buster?” She threw a pillow at Indy before he could reply. “Give me my body back! What, was not going through dead corpses enough? You've moved on to living body-heisting?”

“I didn't do this! This was definitely not on purpose!”

“Undo it!”

Indy rubbed his forehead. “Please don't yell. It is freaking me out. Just... Watching my body screech at me-”

“For a good reason! And stop...” Willie gestured at Indy. “Stop that!”

Indy looked down. “What?”

He was hit with the pillow again. “Stop that! Stop staring at my boobs and showing them off!”

“It's not like I haven't seen them before,” Indy protested. But he pulled a blanket on.

He couldn't help adding: “This isn't the first time I have been inside you even. Last night-”

“Give me something to wear.”

Deciding it would be easier to assess the situation once they were not naked Indy wrapped himself in the blanket and walked to the dresser to pull out a fresh pair of underwear and a shirt.

He watched Willie put them on. It was bizarre, watching himself outside his body like this...

Willie stood up. “Woah, tall.”

“Hm.”

The way she towered over him now was giving Indy some kind of feelings and he wasn't interested in entertaining them.

Willie pulled out her suitcase. “Lucky for you I have a change of clothing.”

Indy eyed the bra offered to him. “I think we can skip that-”

“Nonsense, I am not letting you walk around jiggling my boobs all over the place.”

Deciding it was the path of least resistance Indy let Willie dress him up.

“The last time I met you you ended up dragging me across Asia so I took the precaution of packing clothing for such an occasion,” Willie informed him. “Here, pants in case you wander off into the wilderness or something. But let's pair them up with this cute blouse. Let's go for a sporty but feminine look. Something that says 'Yes I enjoy a little bit of hiking but not enough to make me all gross and sweaty'. What do you think?”

“Sure.”

As soon as he was decent Willie asked: “So, how are you going to fix this?”

_A good question._

“Let me think, I need to figure out what caused this.”

“Angered any goddesses as of late?”

“Not as far as I know,” Indiana said. “Believe me or not but this is a new kind of a predicament for me too.”

“Well you better find a way for me to turn back. I am not going to spend rest of my life being stuck inside this... This big weird hairy thing.”

“You didn't think my body was too big and weird last night,” Indiana snapped. He was noticing how small and fragile he was next to Willie now and didn't enjoy the feeling one bit.

“Anyway, it's clear you traded up here,” Willie argued. “You get to be me while I am stuck being old and having weird pain in my back and wrist oh my god you do _not_ take good care of this thing!”

Admittedly, his current form was certainly lacking in some negative things, but still-

“Old? Wait a second I am not that much older than you are!”

Willie gave him a look. “Sort of proves my point about the poor maintenance. This body _feels_ ancient. Meanwhile, I am 22.”

Indy stared at her. “You are NOT.”

Willie crossed her arms. “But I _could_ be. It's well within my acting range-” A look of horror spread on her face. “Oh my god the audition!”

“Call them to postpone it.”

“I can't do that! If I am a no-show, _Brenda_ will get the role!”

“A shame.”

Willie poked Indy's forehead. “So you have five hours to get me back right in there, you got that?”

Indy nodded. “Trust me, I am as eager to get back to normal as you are.”

He added: “Just let me gather my thoughts and I'm sure I can think of something.”


	2. In five hours

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Charles Kennedy and Phil the teaching assistant are technically canon characters but we don't know much about them. Kennedy was the dean at Marshall college and mentioned in some expanded universe material, Phil is a character that got cut from Raiders.

“So, first of all, we should probably trace our steps,” Indiana said.

Willie sat opposite him at the kitchen table. “Well personally I don't recall messing with any bad ancient magic stuff.”

“Neither did I! Believe me or not but I have no idea how this happened. Of course I will figure out how to reverse this, in time-”

Willie held up five fingers. “In _five_ hours.”

Indiana stared at her. It was bizarre and uncomfortable, seeing Willie's mannerisms and intonation come through _his_ body.

The person sitting across Indiana was recognizable as the person he had seen in the mirror for over three decades, but as if seen through a distorted lens. Add to that the disconnect he felt over the body he was trapped in at the moment-

_I need to fix this. I need to do something. I need to-_

He got up and walked to the door. “So, we came in last night, it was pretty late so I just heated some chicken in the oven...” He walked to the kitchen, gesturing at the dirty dishes in the sink. “We ate-”

“The chicken was kinda dry but normal,” Willie added. “I don't think it was the chicken's fault.”

“I don't think much else happened I think we went straight to bedroom after you cleaned up after your trip-”

“And had sex,” Willie finished his thought. “Which was good but not mindblowing enough to make your soul leave your body.”

Indy gave her a look. “It was more than just 'good'.”

“Hm, fair.” Willie made a gesture with her hand. “You rank pretty high, not the best I've got but pretty good job, definitely better than last time.”

“Well I am a gentleman so I won't stoop to ranking my partners-”

“That good, huh?”

“In _any_ case I can't remember anything weird going on. Not until we woke up this morning.”

“Yeah same.” Willie said. “Besides people have been going at it since the dawn of time so if this was a possible side effect I have to assume someone would have made note of it. So what's left?”

“Lot of possibilities, lot of possibilities...”

 _Not that I can think of any right this moment,_ Indiana thought.

He hadn't left the city in almost a month. He had been absent a lot last year and the dean had been side-eyeing him lately so Indiana had focused on teaching at least until he got his students through the mid-terms.

So if something had caused this it had maybe started at the college...

Even if it was someone from his past coming after him that was where they would have targeted him.

After all that's where Willie had found him too...

“Get fully dressed,” Indiana told Willie. “We're going to the college.”

* * *

Indiana cursed, the car finally stopping at the curb of the college parking lot. The ride had been bumpy, his currently smaller frame having more trouble behind the wheel of his car than he had expected.

He reached to open the car door.

“Wait a second,” Willie told him. “You're not going out in public looking like that.”

Indiana stared at her. “Looking like you or-”

“You look terrible. Your hair is a mess and you neglected to put on any make-up, I can't let people see me, or my body, like that, people will talk.”

“People don't know you here.”

“Soon enough they might. I can't have someone digging this all up after I get my big break in Hollywood.”

“If anything, it will be _my_ reputation on the line,” Indy argued. “They will want to know why one of their professors is dragging a hag he found in the gutter to the campus-”

“A GUTTER HAG!?”

“You literally just argued you, or me-as-you, look like crap!”

“Not on the level of a- a _hag!_ ”

“Well you can't go alone, you have no idea what to look for.”

“And you do?”

“Yeah I got an idea,” Indy lied.

Willie opened the car door on her side. “Fine, but don't talk to anyone.” She made a face, staring at Indy. “Okay some of that must really just be your sour disposition coming through, would it kill you to smile?”

Indiana followed her outside. “No much reason to.”

“Personally I always make the effort! Gotta be as pleasant as possible in my line of work.”

“Well, just pretend to be me and don't talk to anyone-”

“Please, I am an actress. I got this.” She burrowed her brow in a frown. “Grrr, I'm Doctor Jones and I'm a big tough man.” She picked a rock off the sidewalk. “Look Willie it's a boring dirty rock. I will now talk about this rock for two hours. Two bazillion years ago there was a dirty guy living in a mud hut and he used this rock to hit pieces of mud to eat bugs. Which I love, because I love gross bugs and also rolling in dirt.”

“Ha ha. You're lucky I don't want to draw attention to us because an accurate impression of you would get confused for a fire siren!”

“Those pipes are trained for singing, buster!”

Indy started to walk towards the main building. “Just keep your distance and don't talk to anyone.”

* * *

Willie followed Indiana. She gave a judging look at the back of the body that was rightfully hers.

_Does my butt look like that from behind? Ugh. Gotta ditch those pants. And I definitely need to rethink my hairstyle, but to be fair I have been considering that anyway-_

“Professor Jones!”

Willie only realized she was addressed when the young man stepped in front of her to block her way.

“Sorry, I am busy-” Willie looked around trying to spot Indy. “Really busy-”

“Please, Professor Jones I have tried to get a hold of you for weeks! I need to know what to do with my essay-”

 _This is it, Willie, get in character_.

She set her hand on his shoulder. “Listen, kid, I will take a look at your essay. Clarke, was it?”

“Howard Lloyd, actually-”

“Lloyd,” Willie continued, without missing a beat- “I will get back to you. In the meanwhile-”

She offered him the rock she had still been carrying. “What can you tell me about this?”

He took it, blushing slightly. “It's uh- A rock, seemingly... Recently unearthed?”

Willie patted his cheek. “Well done.”

She moved past him before he had time to gather his thoughts. “Just think about it. You'll get it eventually.”

She tried to remember where Indy's office had been... He had disappeared somewhere and there was suddenly much more students pouring into the hallway from the classrooms.

“Professor Jones!”

Willie picked a direction and pretended to know where she was going. “Sorry real busy.”

She pushed through the crowd of students. “Sorry, sorry, important archaeology business, you see-”

But she soon found herself surrounded by students with no escape.

“When will we get our essays back?”

“You promised to find me the book on stratigraphy-”

“Professor Jones, I have questions about the last week's lecture on-”

“Jones.”

That had not been a student.

Willie turned around and came face to face with a small middle-aged man.

“Hi?”

“Where are those lesson plans I asked you to send to my office last week?”

He spoke with the kind of authority that told Willie this was Indiana's boss.

“I am just getting to find them, actually, Sir.”

“You have been trying to find them for a week now.”

“Hm. Yes. But to be fair that is only because of the utterly thorough job I have been doing.” Willie gestured vaguely around her. “I need to rethink some of the stuff because, you know stuff comes up, and I have been really busy with all the...” She thought back to how Indy's office had looked like, desperately trying to remember what he had told her about his work. “All the real important inspections I have been doing with the old... Stuff. I was just going to my office to study some pottery-”

“Mister Kennedy!”

Willie turned to see Indy make his way towards them.

* * *

Indy had made his way towards the office until he had realized to his horror Willie was no longer following him.

He turned around, slipping between the students, cursing his currently shorter frame, when he spotted Willie.

His stomach lurched.

She was talking to the dean.

“Mister Kennedy!” Indy yelled out, hoping to interfere before Willie managed to totally embarrass him.

He gave a panicked look at Willie and the old man. “Hey, hello, what is going on?”

The man gave him a disapproving look. “Who are you supposed to be?”

“Miss Scott, an actress and a singer,” Willie said.

“Oh I am just Doctor Jones's assistant,” Indy said simultaneously.

They glanced at each other.

Indy turned to Mister Kennedy. “Both. I'm both. Nice to meet you.”

Kennedy gave him a look, ignoring the offered hand. “An assistant? I hope you do not expect this to come out of the university budget.”

“Nono,” Indy shook his head. “Definitely not, this is just a hobby, a- a- passion project-”

“I bet it is,” Kennedy mumbled.

“I just love learning, you know?” Indiana said desperately. “So I have been helping Doctor Jones with his work, _especially_ the lesson plans. I got a bit of a knack for it, you know, I am super into organization and he has been terribly busy-” He couldn't help adding: “And underpaid. Really, it's a wonder how much he gets done. I am in awe.”

“I have to apologize on behalf of my assistant,” Willie interjected.

_Nonono don't say anything._

Indy glared at her, trying to communicate this with aggressive eyebrow wiggle.

_I am on a thin ice with the dean as is!_

“She was just hard at work digging up some bones, we were not planning to come to the university today-”

“Don't you have classes to teach?”

“Absolutely, but when I say 'planning' I mean extra hours, obviously.” Willie took Indy's arm. “So, I assume you are as busy as we are, so if you excuse us, we need to go to my office which I think is... right here-”

Indy pulled her to the opposite direction.

“Ah yes I remember now where the office is, sorry, my brain is just so full of thoughts about science and work it gets confused sometimes bye.”

Once in the privacy of the tiny office Indy let out a sigh.

“That went well,” Willie said.

“In what way!? That was the dean! He has been keeping an extra close eye on me lately anyway!!”

“Oh don't worry if anything he was impressed you got a sexy singer to work as your assistant for free.”

“Somehow I don't think so!”

Willie crossed her arms. “Well, you don't have to worry about it now. Come on, do your thing.”

“My-”

“You did say you could fix this once we got here. So get to the saving the day bit.”

“Right.”

Indy always hated when his improvised plans hit the point where he actually had to show his hand.

“So basically, we met here in this office yesterday, right? And there sure is... Lot of old ancient artifacts here, filed away-”

Indy frowned. “The box of the donations- I don't think I left them like this-” he bent down to collect the objects on the floor. “I wonder if Phil, he's the teaching assistant, if he wanted to take a look-”

“So it was some of this junk. Got it.”

“Here were the things I was going through,” Indy pulled up the box. “A local eccentric left his artifact collection to the college, I have been going through them to see which ones are actually genuine. No idea where he had gotten most of them it's a mix of genuine stuff, some modern jewelry and fakes.”

They got to work, going through the things in the box.

Indy picked up a piece of pottery. “Ah. A shame.”

“What is it?”

“This seems to be a pre-Columbian clay figure... Look, here, you can see it was in shape of an animal, maybe a lizard of some kind. This might have been an incense burner, used to-”

“To switch bodies?”

“No.”

“Then it probably isn't that.”

Indy set down the clay piece on his desk. “You're right. Just keep an eye out for any other pieces in case we can put it back together.”

Willie held out a jeweled necklace. “This?”

“A modern piece, no historical value, and no that doesn't mean you can have it.”

Willie made a face but returned to her work.

Unfortunately, after an hour they were no closer to an answer.

There was a knock on the door.

“Come in,” Indy said.

“Professor Jones?” His teaching assistant, a short soft-spoken boy in glasses, peeked in. “The lecture?”

“We are busy, Phil.” Indy said. “Professor Jones is very busy, tell the students the lecture is called off for today.”

The assistant gave Indy a judgmental look. It seemed he thought better than to pry, however. Instead he turned to Willie. “Unfortunately the dean kind of...” He gave a pleading look. “He insisted.”

Indy sighed. He turned to Willie. “I'll go talk to him and give some excuse. I'll think of something.”

Indy stepped into the quiet hallway.

_Could I convince him I had a sudden case of bronchitis?_

There was a tap on his shoulder.

“Miss?”

Indy turned to look.

And came face to face with a pistol.

He took a step back. The two men stepped closer.

“I wouldn't run if I were you,” the taller man said, his voice low. He slipped his hand into the pocket.

The gesture was clear: they were both armed.

Indiana went through his options. He was at a disadvantage in every single way. Even if he was in his own body taking on two men with guns unarmed would have been a tall order.

“Let's make this simple,” the man pointing the gun said. “You are coming with us, and we won't cause an incident. You get it? The kids here will be safe.”

Indy's blood ran cold. “I don't know what this is about.”

The man grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the door. “Don't you worry your pretty little head with that.”


	3. Knights, princesses, the black death

Willie pulled up the ugly little statue. “Was it you? Was it you who was responsible?”

The statue remained silent. Willie mimicked its bulging eye stare.

The door opened.

Willie set the statue down on the cluttered desk. “Oh?”

The same young man she had seen before poked his head in. “The lecture, Professor.”

Willie looked around as if Indy might appear from thin air to save her. “I think... That is. Interesting?”

“I think the dean was more... Agitated than usual. I think you should come.”

“I see.”

“I did tell him I could just step in, that it was something I could do easily but he... Insisted. I understand you have been working really hard lately, and I am so sorry I haven't been able to do more to help with the lesson plans, I should get it done by Tuesday-”

Willie felt a pang of sympathy. She stood up.

“It's difficult, probably.”

“What do you mean, Sir?”

“I know I'm not the easiest person to work for. I hope you haven't been overworked with Indy- with me being absent.”

Phil blushed. “No no, Sir. I enjoy it- I enjoy the challenge. Besides, you haven't even been... _That_ absent lately.”

Willie set her hand on his shoulder. “I'll talk to... Someone to get you some more compensation at least, okay? I'll put in a good word for you.”

“That's- that's really nice.”

_The kid deserves a break. I bet Indy just shrugs off responsibility and travels around the world having his little adventures while his assistant is overworked here._

“I appreciate you. All you do. Just wanted you to know, okay?”

The boy was red as a beetroot. “Yes Sir, Thank you Sir.”

_Ah._

Willie removed her hand and walked to the door.

“Okay, let's go and do this.”

_You got this. You're an actor. This is just a role to play. Improvise._

Willie stepped into the hallway and let Phil take the lead.

_How hard can it be really?_

She tapped Phil's shoulder. “Jog my memory, what am I supposed to be lecturing about today?”

He looked at his papers. “I believe we were going through the early medieval period in Europe.”

“Of course. Just couldn't recall if it was the early medieval or late medieval or medieval medieval, you know how it is.”

She stepped inside the classroom. Everyone turned to look at her.

Willie gave the classroom a polite smile. Probably best not to acknowledge how terribly late she was.

“So, how have you been doing?”

Someone coughed. Willie spotted the dean sitting at the back of the class, taking notes.

_Great._

Willie had never even finished high school. But she had a fairly good guess how these things went.

Willie turned towards the blackboard. “So.”

She wrote on the board 'medieval Europe'.

This was easy. Knights, princesses, the black death.

“So, what is important to remember about medieval Europe is that it was very much a different time. Everything was different. Except the things that are still the same. That's after all how life goes. For example, they had a king in England, and they still have the king in England. It's pretty interesting if you think about it.”

Willie glanced at the classroom. “Well, do you think it's interesting?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“So,” Willie turned towards the blackboard, desperately trying to think about all the facts she knew about medieval Europe.

She wrote two words on the blackboard.

'Castles' and 'horses'.

She turned to address the class. “Now, can anyone tell me the connection between these two things?”

No answer.

“Come on, no wrong answers. Or rather there are wrong answers but I won't mock you over it?”

A hand rose.

Willie pointed at the girl. “Yes. You.”

“Sometimes they would have horses at the castles? There were... Stables?”

“Not incorrect!”

_I think._

“That's what I am talking about. More things.” Willie pointed at the boy holding his hand up. “Yes?”

“I don't think the chapter we were supposed to read for today had anything on horses, and not that much about castles, it was mostly about the Byzantine empire-”

“Maybe. But when you are out on the field doing archaeologey things you usually won't have a book with you.” Willie tapped her temple. “You need to use your brain.”

“Yes Sir.”

An another student lifted her hand slowly.

Willie pointed at her. “You, the blonde in the fashionable blouse.”

“Could you mean... Warfare? The knights rode on horses and... They built castles for defense-”

Willie nodded. “Exactly. It would be very hard to ride a horse up some stairs into a castle. Obviously there are a lot of different reasons to make the connection-”

Willie looked at the class. “You get what I mean?”

There was a low murmur in the class.

“These days we have cars, which are very much like horses but not like horses at all. Of course there are things like airplanes. Is everyone following?”

A boy lifted his hand. “Do you mean... The way the castles were built was for very different kind of warfare, these days we have aerial... Uh planes and such.”

“Exactly!”

“So the architecture was influenced by the technology at the time? Which is turn influenced the way people fought their wars.”

“Couldn't have put it better myself!”

The bell rang.

_Finally!_

“And your homework is thinking really hard about horses and castles! Go pet a horse if you can! Visit a stable! Immerse yourself in the medieval experience.”

Willie could see the dean walking towards her. She stood straighter.

“Happy now?”

The dean frowned. “I must say your teaching methods are fairly... Unconventional-”

Willie waved her hand. “You know, I have been trying out different stuff. I believe we need to broaden our horizons when it comes to all this...”

“I am not fully convinced-”

“Well I am. Just consider the future these kids will have ahead of them. Can they just look at a book when they are working out there doing archaeology? No! Instead they gotta be looking at some statues and castles and use their brain. And sometimes they will see a horse or an elephant and they have to be prepared to deal with things outside the box! Have you ridden a stinky elephant? Not pleasant.”

The dean looked taken aback. “Not everyone is going to be cut out for whatever it is you're doing, gallivanting around the world.”

Willie opened her mouth, but realized she wasn't entirely certain how much of what Indy had dragged her through was considered normal archaeology and to what extent he was just a weirdo.

“What exactly you think I am doing on my little trips?”

Before he had time to reply she fled the room. “Maybe you should think about it, huh?”

She walked briskly back to the small office.

 _That went well. Or rather it could have gone_ _so_ _much worse_. _Indy owes me big time._

The office was empty.

_Where is Indy? I can't wait to let him know what happened._

She sat down.

How dared he leave her deal with this?

“He better not be doing anything weird with my body. Oh my god he must be doing something weird with my body like- like crawling in some sewers for fun. I bet he is absolutely giddy at all the new small gross spaces he can fit in now, ew.”

* * *

Indiana glanced around. The two men were leading him towards the parking lot.

_I need to at least figure out who these people are._

“Listen, I have no idea who you are. You got the wrong guy- a wrong person, even.”

“Don't think so.”

Indy brought his hand to his chest, trying to look as harmless as possible. “Come on now, what possible reason you could have to be mad with little old me? Teehehee?”

The man didn't reply, only letting out a chuckle.

“I am just a singer. Really insignificant really-”

“We know who you are.”

Indy gave the man a glare. Did he actually know?

He realized he was being led towards a car.

_We are at the college, it's middle of the day. These guys might be armed but neither of them is pointing a gun at me at the moment. If I let them take me away that's it for me. And Willie is probably not going to be thrilled either._

He stopped. “I feel faint...”

The man turned towards him. Indy twirled around and punched the man on his left.

Pain shot through his fingers. “Jesus fuck!”

Indy held his hand. One of his long nails was jutting out in an unnatural direction.

The other man grabbed his arm, pulling him towards the car.

_I can't fight my way out of this._

If they got him to the car-

_I need to use Willie's strengths to my advantage._

He screamed.

* * *

Willie finally stopped an older man, tired of wandering around the campus trying to spot Indy. “Hi, sorry Sir.”

“Yes?”

“Have you seen my assistant? A good-looking blonde, though granted, looks a bit exhausted today-”

“Your teaching assistant?”

“No, hm. A different one- Not a student- Not that you couldn't confuse her for a student she looks young-”

A piercing scream sounded from the yard.

“Never mind I think I found her!”

Willie ran to the yard. “Hey!”

She stared at the sight of two men in black coats trying to drag Indy into a car. “Indy what are you doing!?”

“What am I- Help me!”

The two large men had almost managed to pull him inside the car. They gave a panicked look at Willie and other people running towards them.

Willie was closing in the distance fast. “I left you alone for like ten minutes!”

The car started to move.

“HEY!” Willie grabbed a shovel from the flowerbed. “WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?”

Indy disappeared inside the car, dragged inside.

_Nononono._

Willie strained her muscles, running after them as fast as she could.

_Please, let me catch them._

The car accelerated. It also veered heavily to the right.

With a crash it collided with a tree.

Willie caught up with it and swung the shovel at the car. “Give her back!”

The back door opened and Indy emerged. “Willie!”

He was grabbed once more. There was a sound of a kick and a man cursing.

Willie held out the shovel to Indy. “Here!”

Indy swung the shovel clumsily at the man holding him. The man let go but quickly fastened his grip around Indy's face.

Indy bit him, sinking his teeth into his hand. With a yelp the man let go.

“Careful!” Willie told him. “Watch the face!”

Indy gave her a disbelieving look. “Little help here?”

“Oh, of course.”

Willie grabbed his arm and pulled. “Give her back that's mine!”

Indy stumbled out of the car and onto the pavement.

The men, seemingly realizing they had lost the scuffle, started to reverse the car.

Willie pulled Indy to safety just in time to avoid the car.

“Stop them!” Indy told Willie.

“How? How am I supposed to-”

Willie looked around. People were gathering around them but there were no cars close by-

They watched the car speed off and disappear from view.

* * *

“Well we lost them!”

Indy slammed the door to his office close after them. He had been dragged to the school nurse despite telling everyone he was fine.

“Are you okay?” Willie asked.

“Yes, stop asking,” Indy snapped.

“Well excuse me, that _is_ my body you're piloting around at the moment!”

“You're- you're right. I am not hurt- Your body didn't get hurt-”

Willie reached to stroke his cheek. Indy froze.

“It's just some dirt...”

“Huh?” Indy managed.

Willie removed her hand. “I was afraid they had hurt you.”

Indy frowned. “I can take care of myself.” Aware of how it had come out a bit more petulant than he had intended he added: “Even without my body, I can- I can manage-”

“Well I have no doubt of that. I'm worried in what kind of condition my body will be when I get it back!”

Willie removed her glasses to rub her eyes. “I will get it back, right?”

“Of course!”

She looked at Indy. “How? I have a feeling you have no idea where to even begin fixing this.”

“I do! I did bring us back here, right? And the people who attacked me, they must be involved in this somehow, I have a feeling they knew who I was.”

“They did?”

“Probably.”

Indy took Willie's hand, trying his best to ignore how her hand was larger than his right now. “Listen, there must be a way to reverse this. Trust me.”

Willie gave him a suspicious look. “You mean that?”

Indy's stomach lurched.

_It must work out, I must figure out how to fix this._

The alternative was simply too terrifying to consider.

He nodded. “Yes.”

Willie smiled. “In that case-”

She ran her fingers on Indy's hand.

“Oh,” Indy said. “I think I hurt my hand a bit-”

“You broke a nail.” She inspected it. “It's just the nail. I can trim it down when I fix your make up for the audition.”

“My- my what?”

Willie gave him a look. “The audition! We must fix your make up and get you ready!”

“The audition? Right now?”

“Listen, if I am going to get my body back I am not going to forgive you if I missed out on this role. The director has connections. This can be my big break.”

“I- But if we can track down the guys who attacked me-”

“Do you have a clear idea how to do that? No? Then we can go to the audition it will only take an hour, two max.”

“I-”

Willie pulled him through the door. “Let's go I will teach you your lines. Have you ever heard of Hamlet?”


	4. Mostly porridge

Indy stared at Willie. “You cannot be serious.”

Willie glared right back. “This is my big break! You owe me this much.”

“In what way?”

“To begin with, I was having quite a successful career back in Shanghai before a certain someone crashed through the club, need I remind you of that?”

“Hnh.”

“So, you owe me!” Willie pulled out a chair and gestured at it. “I need this, Indy! I can rebrand! Shakespeare is super classy! And the director has connections! He knows Orson Welles, he might even be there.”

“Who?”

“He's an up-an-coming directing star, don't you follow the entertainment news?”

“I have been busy!” But Indy gave in and sat down. “Well, how hard can it be?”

“Hey!” Willie objected, looking up from going through her make up bag. “Are you telling me my job is easy?”

“Well if I am just going to fail the audition why even bother going?” Indy swatted the brush away. “Careful, you poked me in the eye.”

“Don't fidget then!”

“Is this really necessary?”

But Indy sat still and closed his eyes as Willie worked on his make up.

After the assault with the powdery thing was done Indy glanced into the mirror. He scratched his face. “Smells weird.”

“Don't pick on my face. Okay, open your mouth, like this. Come on do it I can't have you go looking like garbage.”

“You look fine without make up.”

“I know. But it's about the artistry. Don't talk.” She brought the lipstick onto his lips. “There...”

She gave Indy a napkin. “Blot.”

Indy took the napkin and eyed it. "What?"

"Blot." She tapped her lips. "Put that on your lips. But be careful not to smear it."

"I-"

"Just do it, we need to put on a second coat."

"What's wrong with the first coat?!" Indy did carefully tap his lips with the napkin. "There are way more steps in this than I thought."

"It's fine, just helps your lipstick last better and I have a feeling you will need it."

Willie gave Indy a judging look.

She sighed and snapped her make up case closed. “Good enough.”

She handed Indy a note. “Learn this by heart.”

She took hold of Indy's shoulders and looked him in the eye. “Listen. Are you prepared?”

“Well can't say I ever learned Hamlet by heart but I can study on the way if you'll drive-”

Willie shook her head. “No. The theater world is absolutely cut-throat. It's only fair I warn you.”

Indy gave her a condescending smile. “I think I can handle myself.”

“Can you? This isn't like- like fighting an evil cult or digging a big hole to look for shiny rocks. You can't just punch your way through this. You need subtlety, think you can do that?”

“Sure. Subtlety. How hard can it be?”

“Don't say I didn't warn you.”

* * *

“Just remember,” Willie said as they walked through the doors to the small theater, “We didn't have time for you to learn all of the monologue so try to talk sloooow to make it sound longer-”

She froze. Indy turned to see what she was glaring at. A petite blonde woman was making her way towards them.

Willie narrowed her eyes. “Brenda.”

The blonde gave her a sunny smile, flashing a perfect row of white teeth. “I do not believe we have been introduced?”

“We haven't. I have just... Willie mentioned you.”

“Oh she was always such a gossip.”

“Willie? Nooo I can't believe that. She is such a lady. All she had to say about you was so professional and polite. Why? Do you think there's something I should know?”

Brenda looked at Indy. “Miss Scott. Aren't you going to introduce me to your, hm. _Friend_.”

Indy blinked. He had never heard someone pronounce such a simple word with so much unspoken sleazy implication.

“Of course, this is Doctor Indiana Jones, my associate. He teaches archaeology and anthropology at the Marshall College and was very interested in this production purely from the historical perspective.”

He waved his hand at Brenda, hoping he'd know her last name. “This is Brenda. A colleague.”

Willie took Brenda's hand and shook it. “A pleasure.”

“A professor, hm?”

Willie nodded. “Yes. I just love culture. So what role are you playing in this play? Let me guess. Handmaiden number 3? Something about you just screams '3rd background character from the left in the crowd scene' It's a very special kind of skill to pull that off. You don't want to overshadow the stars.”

“Oh no. I auditioned to play Ophelia. But I absolutely agree. Miss Scott here absolutely dominates the stage whenever she is on. I have heard her acting described as 'deafening' and 'distracting'-”

Willie gritted her teeth, before smiling again. “As a scientist, I must say I really appreciate Miss Scott's performance. She read her part as Ophelia out loud to me on our way here and as an expert on all that kind of old timey stuff I was blown away by the performance. Personally I think if she doesn't get the role it's a crime. A crime against science.”

Indy watched the conversation, becoming increasingly uncomfortable. He was starting to get what Willie had meant by 'cut-throat'. “Hm. Anyway, I should go backstage probably-”

“Oh it's a waste of time,” Brenda informed him. “The director basically promised the role to me. He called me a natural. I really embody the role, he said.”

“Oh, my condolences!” Willie said, her voice dripping with insincerity. “Which part, the madder than a cuckoo bit or dying a soggy death part?”

“Well, all I can do is my best, I suppose,” Indy said. “The point is to have fun, right?”

“Oh yes,” Willie said. “You are always such a good sport.” She gave Indy a glare. “Don't have too much fun. Remember you are a professional actress.”

She reached to fiddle with Indy's hair. “Try to look- Presentable.”

“Yeah. Gonna go there and break a leg.”

Willie waved at Indy. “Just make sure it's someone else's legs! Good luck!”

Indy escaped towards backstage, stopping to talk to the man at the door.

Indy gave him a wide smile. “Miss Willie Scott. I am here for my audition. Ophelia's part. It's so nice to meet you I really love this theater it's just so full of history, did you know parts of it were built in-”

“Sure thing, doll.” The man pulled out a list, grumbled something and waved his hand towards the door.

Indy walked through the door. “Thank you!”

He managed to jump out of the way just in time.

He stared at Brenda.

She gave him a smile. “Oh sorry. I was just taking this bucket out.”

Indy pointed at the soggy mess he had just barely avoided. “You almost threw a bucket of dirty water on me!”

“Well did you have to be standing there?”

Indy didn't answer, instead turning around to see where he should go. There were two doors-

“It's the right one, if you're looking to get to the stage, darling,” Brenda told him.

“Thanks,” Indy said, walking to the left door.

He glanced at Brenda. Her smile didn't falter.

This time Indy was too slow and his attention was on Brenda so he walked right into the trap. The bucket over the door toppled and a pail of water came crashing down, soaking him.

Before Indy could react he was pushed onto the stage, dripping wet.

Indy stared at the three men sitting in the front row of the otherwise empty theater. “Hello?”

“Miss Scott?”

“Yeah. Yes that's me.” He stood straighter. “You might be wondering why I am wet.”

The three men looked at him, seeming like they didn't care.

_I hope none of these is the Welles fellow, really didn't make a good first impression here._

He decided to try his best nevertheless.

“I would like to say a few words to set the stage first, so to speak. I looked into the- the modern cinema lately and was especially touched by the performances in _La Passion de Jeanne d'Arc_ and how the director brought realism into the movie. And I was thinking to myself, how to translate something like Mademoiselle Falconetti's performance to a theater stage. To bring realism into the play. I really got into the role. Really tried to understand Ophelia's character. For example I have for a week now sustained myself on a 13th century Danish diet, which has been mostly porridge.”

“You dripping smelly water on the stage is a part of this process?”

“Oh, absolutely.”

“You are aware she is not wet most of the play, only after she dies?”

“Yes. Yes of course. Which is the point, really. I have been thinking about the narratives within the play and the way Shakespeare constructs a narrative about fate and destiny, where the final ending point of every character is something they all carry within their very soul throughout the play. Ophelia's tragic death is an eventuality that only becomes actualized as the play progresses, but nevertheless it's always there. And the audience is very aware of this, it's a very well known tragedy, after all, is not the best known image of Ophelia her laying in water? I would like you to think back to the works of Sir John Everett _Millais-_ ”

“So that's why you are dripping wet?”

Indy met his gaze. “Yes. Really brings out the heart of the character, I think.”

They stared at Indy. Indy stared right back.

Finally one of the men spoke. “So, is your interpretation of Ophelia mute too or-”

“No, of course not. So, should I- Should I just go- Okey-”

He gestured at the air next to him.

“O, what a noble mind is here o’erthrown! /  
The courtier’s, soldier’s, scholar’s, eye, tongue, sword, /  
Th’ expectancy and rose of the fair state, /  
The glass of fashion and the mould of form, /  
Th’ observ’d of all observers, quite, quite down! / ”

He waved his arm theatrically and made a noise that was supposed to portray suffering but ended up reminiscent of a suffocating rabbit: “Hnnnnhhhhh?”

The men looked unimpressed.

* * *

Willie leaned on the wall.

_He is doing horrible in there I just know it._

But did it really matter? Even if he did get the role for her? If in a few months when they'd be putting on the play it would still be Indy in that body?

_No, I can't let that happen... It can't be- I can't be a- a teacher!_

She stared at her hands. “Ew!”

She had definitely enjoyed this body much more from a different perspective...

She pushed her hands into the pockets of the very unfashionable tweed jacket. She frowned at her fingers brushing against something.

She pulled out the small medallion and eyed it. Just more of Indy's weird old junk. Would Indy expect her to keep pretending she was him? Could she? She was an actress, true, but she was not prepared for this sort of dedication. But maybe she could still try her luck out in Hollywood...

Maybe it'd be fine? No, not fine. Just her doing the best she could with the cards she had been dealt.

But what else was new?

She brushed her fingers against her chin and grimaced at the feel of stubble.

_I don't want to get used to this!_

But if she _had_ to- Indy's body wasn't bad-looking, maybe she could break through as a romantic lead?

“Watch out Clark Gable?”

Suddenly, there was a force around her neck. Willie dropped the medallion. Muscle memory took over, and luckily this was far from the first time this body had been throttled from behind by a shadowy assassin. So Willie jabbed her elbow back, hitting the man who had tried to strangle her.

The man let go of the rope and Willie pulled it off her neck.

“What was that about?” She pointed at the man. She recognized him from the attempted kidnapping. “It's you guys!”

She could see the man's hand moving towards his pocket. Willie threw the rope at him.

It managed to at least confuse the man enough that he stumbled.

“Don't try anything or I will shoot!” Willie yelled at him.

Apparently the fact she wasn't actually holding a gun didn't tip the would-be assassin off she was bluffing since he turned and ran.

“Wait, running away is trying something come back!” Willie ran after him.

_I can't fail now!_

* * *

_So, this was a total failure_.

Indy stared at the three men. “Listen, I feel like I haven't made the best impression today-”

“No joke,” one of the men mumbled.

“But I really want this role. I believe I could really bring something unique to this production.”

Although it looked like Willie would have to prepare for a disappointment.

Indy turned to leave.

But-

He turned back. “Listen, you have not heard yet why I am the best fit for the role.”

“Certainly the most wet for the role.”

“I am absolutely prepared for the authenticity for the role.” He switched to Danish: “ _I can play it in the historically accurate language_.”

* * *

Willie leaped at the man and wrestled him to the ground. She punched him.

The man let out a gurgle and his head rolled back.

Willie grasped his lapels and brought him up. “Hey! Explain what you were doing!”

The man didn't answer.

“Oh my god did I kill you? Sorry! I don't know my strength!”

Willie shook him. “You are still alive right? I can see you breathing!”

The man groaned, his eyes fluttering open. “I... I give up...”

“Now tell me who you are and how to reverse this and I won't clobber you into a pulp!”

“I am- I am the Hand of the High Priest of the most exalted Two-Faced God.”

“Yeah that tells nothing to me.” Willie shook him again. “Tell me stuff that's useful. How did you do this?”

“Do what?”

“The whole... Weird spell thing. Me being Indy and him being me?”

“I have no idea what you are talking about. Perhaps it is a curse set upon you by the Two-faced God himself! That'd be great so far all of the rewards have been more on the strictly spiritual side.”

“Eh?”

“You know, the blessings of the Gods are mysterious. Yesterday I found a penny on the sidewalk, surely put on there by the Great-”

“Are you- Are you telling me you didn't do this?”

“If you stop shaking me I can answer!”

“Sorry, got carried away. Talk.” Willie had to admit she was getting a kick out of this. “Talk or I will start snapping bones. Wait, where is my bullwhip I love to carry it around to do terribly violent things to nasty little cultists-”

“I don't know what you are talking about! Honest. I... We broke into your office to find the medallion, that's all we wanted, and when we didn't find it it was Charlie's idea to kidnap your assistant but we weren't going to do more than just- just ask questions honest!”

Willie stared at him. “Wait, you didn't switch us around?”

The man gave her a confused look.

“I am the sexy assistant! She is Indy!”

“Come on now that doesn't sound like something that happens outside of dime store novels.”

Willie let go of his lapels. “So if it wasn't you guys, who was it?”

* * *

Indy closed the door behind him. In the privacy of the backstage he let out a sigh.

He wiped his wet cheek. His make up was ruined. Probably even the different coats hadn't helped much. But still-

_I can't wait to break the good news to Willie. And the bad news._

“Hi, the good news is you got the role. The bad news is you better learn Danish-”

“Congratulations,” a familiar voice dripping with venom told him.

Indy turned to see Brenda standing in the shadows.

Indy shrugged. “Well, you know what they say. The best woman won.”

Brenda stepped forward. “Is that so?” She raised a jeweled dagger, ready to strike. “Doctor Jones?”

…


	5. We're back

Indiana stared at the dagger. And then to the eyes of the blonde woman. “Wait, wait you know who I-”

He took a step back, trying to get some distance between himself and Brenda. “Listen, if you know who I am you must know- Uh, I can't imagine what issue you have with _me_ you should talk this all out with Willie-”

He could probably take Brenda even in his current state. Probably. As long as she was unarmed. Indy really didn't like the look of that curving blade.

_If I get stabbed Willie will kill me!_

He needed a weapon. Or at least something to keep that blade far away from him. There was a pile of boxes in the corner and-

It seemed someone had been around to clean up the wet mess Brenda's ambush had left in the room.

Indy took a step back towards the assortment of cleaning supplies in the corner. Brenda took a step forward.

“Oh, Doctor Jones. If you just would have failed the audition like you were supposed to you would not be in this mess now.”

“Wait. Wait what- It was you?” Indy gestured at his body. “This all is _your_ fault?”

“Slow on the uptake I see. I guess it's true what they say about birds of feather.”

She shrugged. “What can I say? Show business is cut-throat. You need any advantage you can get, and for some it means a little bit of black magic.”

Indy's mouth hung open. “This is all over a role in a- in a _play_?”

“This was supposed to be my big break!” Brenda lunged towards Indy. “It can still be!”

Indy stumbled back. His hand grasped a handle of a broom. He swung it at the woman.

* * *

Willie pushed the cultist forward. “Yeah, that's right, if you know what's good for you you do what I say.”

“Yes Sir.”

“I was thinking, and this might just be the adrenaline talking, but I did a pretty good job there, right?” She poked him. “How would you as a fresh expert in the field of being manhandled by me rate it, huh?”

“I uh.”

Willie ignored him.

“Maybe I could get action roles? I could be the next Errol Flynn, ha ha.”

She bent in to pick up the medallion from where it had fallen. “A girl gotta keep her options open, you know.”

She twirled the medallion around her finger. “This little thing was what you wanted?”

“The sacred token! We knew it had been in the Dr Willard's private museum.”

“Tell me, did it ever cross your mind to just ask for it nicely? Maybe try to buy it? Indy sells a bunch of the weird junk he finds anyway.”

The man blinked. “Eh?”

“No, huh? Of course not, it's always going directly to kidnapping and throttling with you cultists.”

Willie was starting to consider herself basically an expert by this point.

“I mean, yes,” the man stood a bit straighter. “I mean, we do consider ourselves a very important sect, if currently a very small one. You think we did a very good job? Very spooky and impressive? I just want you to know, this is not the best impression... We do usually wear robes and these metal masks during our rituals, if we had successfully taken your friend to our headquarters she would have been scared out of her wits I'm sure.”

Willie shrugged. “Eh. Doubt it. I've seen better. Come back to me when you figure out how to do weird icky things with hearts and lava pits. Anyway, where's Indy, I can't wait to tell him what good job I have been doing being him.”

* * *

The mop hit Brenda. She let out a scream as the dagger flew away. It fell on the floor with a clank and slid under a table.

“No!” Brenda screamed.

She turned to look at the dagger. Indy saw an opening and punched her in the jaw.

Brenda leaned back and his fist only grazed her.

Unfortunately for Indy it threw him off balance and he stumbled. Brenda took the chance and tackled him. They both crashed against the pile of boxes and the contents spilled on the floor.

Indy looked desperately around for a weapon as he fell.

A sharp pain shot through him as he landed on top of what seemed to be medieval props. He wasn't badly hurt (yet) but the sharp objects dug into his back and sent a wave of pain through his body.

Brenda moved fast and did her best to pin him to the floor. She tugged at his hair. “I can still do this! I can still-”

She lifted a different knife she had picked up from the floor. “I can still offer you as the sacrifice!”

Before Indy could react she brought the silver blade down, burying the blade deep into Indy's stomach.

* * *

Willie pushed the man forward, waving at the security. “Hey this guy here tried to attack me.”

The security guard got up from his chair. He gave a suspicious look at the two. “He did?”

“I took care of it by myself though, this is sort of my job. Or less a job and more a hobby, been thinking about branching out- Ah yes the audition.”

“They finished a while ago.”

“What is- Where is Indy then?” She pointed at the security guy. “You! You watch this guy and call the cops.”

She walked to the door to the backstage.

“Hey,” the man protested. “That's-”

Willie waved her hand. “Oh I am allowed it's fine.”

* * *

Indy expected pain. Death. Blood.

There was none of that.

Indy kicked Brenda to the stomach. Brenda fell back, and Indy scrambled up. Indy picked up a surprisingly light club and swung it at Brenda's head.

Despite the light weight he managed to put enough force into the swing that she fell on her knees. Indy didn't give her time to get up and delivered a kick to her side.

Brenda fell to the floor, groaning.

Indy breathed in hard.

“Indy?”

Indy turned to look at Willie. “I am fine! Everything is under control!”

“What happened to you?” Willie gestured at the sight in front of her. “What is this- Indy what are you doing? You can maybe just go around beating up people you don't like but that's not really allowed here in the theater world-”

“Tell that to Brenda! She stabbed me!” Indy moved a hand to his stomach. He was unharmed...

He pointed at the woman struggling to get up from the floor.

“It was her, restrain her!”

Indy picked up the blade she had used in her murder attempt. He poked the blade.

With a click it retreated into the hilt.

“A prop knife...”

* * *

“You?” Willie stared at the woman who was currently tied up to a chair. “It was you? I should have known!”

Before anyone had had time to ask any difficult questions Indy, with Willie's help, had dragged Brenda to one of the small dressing rooms and restrained her with the help of some rope from the theater curtains.

Brenda laughed, seemingly unfazed by her position. “I hope you're having fun in your new body. Gotten used to it yet?”

“Switch us back!” Willie demanded.

Brenda shrugged. “No can do. Really, the countercurse slipped my mind. If there ever was one.”

Willie looked at Indy. “Should I rough her up? I could rough her up!”

“What happened to 'you can't just beat people up?'” Indy asked.

“Oh this is different. She's a cultist or something.”

“Careful, we don't want to go overboard. Brenda. I really don't want to hurt you but I don't know how much longer I can control her.”

Brenda gave a worried look at Willie. “Maybe if you let me go I might remember something.”

Willie crossed her arms. “Hah. As if!”

“She's right,” Indy said. “But we can figure out what she did to get us into this mess at least. Where does Brenda live?”

* * *

Indy and Willie stepped into the small apartment.

Willie sniffed the air. “Ew something stinks.”

Indy walked to the window and opened it. “Herbs. She wasn't kidding about being a witch.”

Willie eyed the numerous pictures of herself pinned on the wall over a small altar. “This is weird, isn't it? Really weird and obsessive. Look she has burned the images and scribbled all over my face- Well, that one could use some scribbling over, I look like I have a double chin in it. It's just the position I am in, you know?”

Indy crouched to examine the circle drawn on the floor with chalk. “You did warn me about the show biz. Cut throat, I believe you described it as.”

“Not usually this... Hokey pokey or whatever this is.” Willie pointed at the doll on the floor middle of the circle. “Is that supposed to be me? Look! There's my purse! I lost it some time ago! She must have stolen it!”

She reached to the purse.

“Hey!” Indy said. “Be careful we need to be careful-”

Willie lifted the purse, simultaneously breaking the circle. Indy felt like he was punched in his chest.

He couldn't breathe, he was falling, falling, no idea what was up and what was down, and then-

He felt grounded once more.

And his back hurt in that more familiar way-

Indy gasped.

The sound that had come out of his mouth-

“I am myself again!”

He stood up, slightly disoriented to be tall again. He stared at his hands. It was his old familiar body!

He turned to see Willie. “Willie?”

Willie was touching her face. “Indy...”

She leaped into his arms to embrace him. “I'm back!”

Indy hugged her. “Yeah. We're back.”


End file.
